A Toast to the Nape of Your Neck
by Kittey Rin
Summary: A tribute to Maki Murakami's short story. One night, Sasuke finds an unconcious teen. The teen, Naruto, reveals that he's a vampire...and that he's going to marry Sasuke. AU, SasuNaru, two chapter one shot.
1. Part I

A/N: While having a Gravitation Read-a-Thon, I got to the fourth book and read the story 'A Toast to the Nape of Your Neck', one of my favorite short-stories I've ever read. And, since I'm in a sort of Naruto phase (most specifically, SasuNaru) I thought they would be cute in the plotline. So, since I've been itching to write it since I got the idea, I wrote it. Unfortunately, what began as a one-shot became a two-chaptered one-shot. So, this is the first chapter, and the second will be up momentarily.

**Disclaimer(s):** I do NOT own anything having to do with Naruto, including, but not limited to, the characters, personalities, ideas, places or objects. Further, I don't own even the plot for this, since it is using a lot of direct quoting from Maki Murakami's _Gravitation Book 4_ 'A Toast to the Nape of Your Neck'. I love that story, and this is a twisted tribute to both authors' skills and creativity. The only thing that I legally own is...possibly Chuugi. Possibly.

Chuugi- Loyalty; Jizen- Charity

I hope you enjoy, though. I loved writing it.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--_  
_

_Once every one hundred and twenty-four years, when a blood-red moon rises at the hour of three, a shadow shall rise to become the master of all the world._

_This shadow will retain the bloodline of our clan--and its power will protect out fortunes._

_Our holy blood has risen._

_The time is now..._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

The birds had been chirping as Sasuke walked through the park. He had gotten out a little early than he had anticipated, he was on his way home in the slowly darkening evening, and he felt pleased at being able to avoid most of the female population in his escape. He walked in his uniform, black slacks and a button-up white tee, and he carried his bag under an arm. Even though his face of indifference wouldn't show it, he was content with his life at the moment.

He had just turned a corner, impatient to get home and relax, when he nearly tripped over a body. "What the--" he said as he caught himself. He blinked and looked back at the body.

It was a blonde boy, his tan skin incredibly pale, lying unconcious on the pavement. He wasn't moving, and if Sasuke hadn't seen the slight rise and fall of the boy's chest, he wouldn't have known the kid was alive. Just to be sure, Sasuke nudged him with a foot, raising an eyebrow when the boy just groaned inaudibly. He didn't move.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sasuke asked, knowing the adolescent- he appeared to be the same age as Sasuke- wouldn't answer. Sasuke sighed and raked a hand through his raven hair. "I suppose I should get you to the hospital, shouldn't I?" He stooped down, juggled his bag and the dead weight of his new burden, and began to trudge to the hospital. "I just hope you don't die on me. I hear the paperwork is horrible to deal with..."

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_What is this? This feeling?_

_My thirst- My thirst is abating...but that can't be it..._

_Every cell in my body aches. Each drop of blood awakens the animal in me._

_I think I've found it. My... _

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

Naruto awoke, startled out of the darkness. He took a moment to realise that he was in a hospital, and that a doctor was looking him in the face. She had blonde hair pulled back into two tails, and she looked as pale as the moonlight. She was talking to him, and it took him a moment to tune his mind to her speech.

"...you. Can you hear me?"

Naruto sat up and looked at the woman. He was still a bit dizzy, and figured that he knew what had happened to him yet again.

"Ah. So you can sit up." The woman spoke with wry amusement, and smile gracing her features. "I'm Doctor Yoshu, Tsunade Yoshu." She nodded her head slightly to her patient. "Might I ask your name?" She held a clipboard in hand, a pen cradeled in the foldes of various papers and folders that she worked with.

"U-Uzumaki Naruto," he said, stuttering a bit.

Tsunade nodded. "Well, I was afraid it would be worse, but it's just a bad case of anemia. You know that, yes?" Naruto nodded, and Tsunade let out a very un-lady-like snort. "Of course you would. Well, you're very lucky. The nice young gentleman that brought you to our attention had a perfect blood match to your own, and donated some when asked. Not every day charity like that waltzes right up to you."

Naruto blinked, the information slowly penetrating his skull. Then, with the energy of someone perfectly healthy, he leaned forward urgently and said, "That boy. Where is he? What is his name, what does he look like, where is he?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Patient confidentiality," she said sumply.

Naruto growled. "Tell me, you old hag! Where is he?"

Tsunade's eye twitched, just before she bashed her clipboard over the blonde's head. "I told you, we have patient confidentiality to work with." Naruto cradled his head in his hands, and Tsunade felt a bit sorry for him. Just a bit. "I'll tell you this- he was wearing a Jizen High School uniform, though."

Naruto nodded. Then his eyes nearly flew from his head when the doctor pulled out a small, red fox. The fox waved a paw cheerily at the stunned youth, and Tsunade said, "Is this yours? He wandered in here, and wouldn't leave."

"Hello, Master," the fox said cheerfully. Naruto hurried to grab the kit, putting a hand over his muzzle and fighting to keep it there when the kanine began to struggle.

"Oh, yes, this is Chuugi, don't know how he got in here," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head nervously as the fox calmed down. Tsunade gave him a disbelieving look, but left as she was paged elsewhere. As she left, a look of utter determination crossed his face as he rubbed Chuugi's head. "Jizen High, eh?"

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_I'll find you yet..._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

Sasuke sat at his desk, waiting for class to start. Some of the class girls had flocked to him, creating a sort of ripple effect around his seat. They were chattering back and forth, telling him about things he had no interest in, and not getting the hint that he wanted to be left alone when he refused to talk to him. He wasn't even paying attention to them.

Instead, his thoughts were on the boy he had found. It was wierd. When he had brought the youth to the hospital, he had felt compelled to help him. Sasuke remembered how he had looked the evening before, his sun-kissed hair glowing in the raising moon, his tan skin still appearing less-than-so... He had looked so familiar. Like Sasuke had met him before.

But that was insane. He had never seen the kid before last night, and he wasn't going to see him again. Sasuke shook himself internally, tearing his mind from the boy that had haunted his thoughts since leaving the hospital. He wasn't some hopeless romantic. In fact, he was known to most of the population for being a heartless bastard. He had just been giving a fellow human a hand in a momentary lapse in his personality. That was all.

The door opened, and the students quickly scrambled to their seats. The teacher walked in and set his things on the front desk, then faced the class. "Today we have a new student starting. Uzumaki Naruto-san," he said as the new student walked in.

Whispers started, and Sasuke looked up and focused on the boy. His mind blanked out, everything except a single thought: It was the boy from yesterday...

The blonde bowed, saying something about being pleased to meet everyone. Then the teacher was talking about there being an empty seat next to Uchiha Sasuke-san, and then the boy was moving to his new seat, right next to the stunned brunette...

"Hey, it's you!" Naruto said when he had seated himself. The teacher was already lecturing at them, but didn't seem to notice a handful of his students weren't on the same wavelength. The blonde pointed at himself. "You remember me from the other night, right? Which reminds me, I still haven't thanked you for the blood transfusion."

A horde of rumors would be sprung from that, Sasuke thought with dread as the girls started to whisper and squeal. It seemed every generation of fangirls had their quirks... The teacher cleared his throat, settling down the class immediately.

All but one. "I'm anemic, and it's really hard to find someone with my blood type. I get dizzy and collapse all the time. It was a stroke of luck when you found me, otherwise I'd be toast. You rock!" The blonde wouldn't shut up, and Sasuke was getting irritated.

"You don't know me, so stop trying to be my buddy," Sasuke hissed. He was trying to concentrate on the lecture, taking notes... "It was a momentary lapse in sanity that made me help you." The guy just seemed to prove blonde jokes were right.

Naruto subsided. He had already found him, so he could wait a while. Until after school, at least. He turned his attention to the teacher.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_Coincidence? Who do you think you're fooling?_

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

It was after school. Sasuke was talking with one of the only other people he could tolerate, a very lazy teen by the name of Nara Shikamaru. Even though he was one of the smartest people Sasuke had known, he found homework too bothersome. As a consequence, he was failing nearly everything.

Currently, Sasuke was telling the muddy-haired teen beside him about his encounter with Naruto. "...and so I gave him some blood. Big deal."

Shikamaru sighed. "This may sound like a bore, but have you considered that maybe you were set up?" Sasuke and Shikamaru stopped. "Look at it this way. He was lying in a pretty popular park, pretty early in the evening. How are you the only person who stumbles across him, and not only that, but you share his blood type?" He yawned. "And, to top it all off, he was transferred into your class today. Sounds like somebody planned everything."

"It was no coincidence."

Sasuke flinched slightly, and Shikamaru nearly jumped from his skin at Naruto, who had appeared out of nowhere. He smiled cheerfully.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Shikamaru demanded.

Naruto ignored him. He faced Sasuke, who became apprehensive. "I've been looking all over for you!" Naruto announced. "Sasuke-chan...will you marry me?"

Sasuke coudn't speak. He closed his eyes and tried to hold back a sudden wave of murderous intent towards the chipper blonde. Shikamaru, on the other hand, saw no qualms about talking.

"What do you mean, marry?" the genius asked. "Not only did you just meet, but you're both guys? Unless you plan on shredding both of your reputations to shreds, marriage is impossible."

Naruto shrugged with a smile. "What can I say? He's just my type."

Sasuke turned and walked away, not stopping when his name was called. Let Shikamaru deal with the insane adolescent. He needed something for his rapidly approaching headache.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_In a word, he's intense. And kind of excitable. He's a hella cute, too._

_I'm glad I've finally found him...  
_

--:o:--:o:--:o:--


	2. Part II

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

A few blocks from Sasuke's house, there was a perfect little nitch for people to ambush others. Girls from his fan-club often took to using it to stalk and try to walk home with Sasuke, and this time was no different.

A girl, buxom, entirely too narcissist for Sasuke's taste, and a complete dunce, the girl immediately latched herself to his arm. Her hair was obviously bleached, and it had probably started when a rumor had been spread that Sasuke had a thing for blondes. "Sasu-chan," she began. "Why don't you and I walk home together?" she cooed.

Sasuke glared at her, but there wasn't anything he could do. She had probably stalked him before, so she probably knew where he lived. He suffered in silence.

In reality, he wanted to find out more about the blonde. Something wasn't right about him, it was as if he was an alien. Nobody could make as little noise as Naruto did, and if it hadn't been practically proven than space aliens didn't exist, Sasuke would have thought Naruto from another planet entirely.

"Hey, Sasuke-chan!" As if his thoughts had summoned him, Naruto ran up cheerfully, nearly tripping in the process, and caught up with the blonde-wannabe and the irritated brunette. "I noticed that you live near my house, and was wondering if you two would like to come over," he offered.

Sasuke wieghed the options in his mind. He could be stuck alone with an idiotic girl prattling nonsense into his ear, or he could take up the insane teen's offer. Sasuke mused a little on the situation before choosing the lesser of two evils.

A surprising five minutes later found Sasuke in a drab, ordinary apartment. Somehow, Sasuke had been thinking that Naruto's home would be a little more...evil. Or, at least, not so plain. Sasuke cradled a can of juice in his hands as Naruto and the annoyance in female form began to talk.

"So," Naruto was saying. In the lapse between recieving the drink and looking up, a small brown fox had jumped onto the blonde's shoulder. "Are you two betrothed?" he asked bluntly.

The girl squealed. "Oh, yes! Sasu-chan and I are," here she blushed a little, mumbling the last part, "...lovers."

Sasuke snorted. How thick could she get? Still, it would probably throw Naruto off of the whole marriage between two guys thing he had going on...

Naruto smiled, leaning against a window. "Come on," he laughed, "what kind of idiot do you take me for? I'm a lot smarter than you humans."

The girl and Sasuke blinked in unison. "If you're not human, then what are you?" the girl asked with a slightly shaking voice. Sasuke waited for the ax to fall.

"I'm what is commonly known as...a vampire." His smile didn't falter as he continued. "Ask Sasuke-chan, if you don't believe me. He can tell you that I'm right." The can in Naruto's hand was crushed in his grip, the raspberry juice seeming like blood in the setting sun. "That night, when you found me," he addressed Sasuke, "you were acting purely on instinct. It wasn't your fault, you wouldn't have been able to stop yourself. You're one of the chosen. The one who will help carry on the clan name."

Little changes began to occur. His teeth stretched into long fangs, the whisker-marks on his face seemed to deepen, and his ears became pointed. He carried an aura of immense age and power. "So, you see," he said, showing more fang than necessary, "your destiny is chosen. You are mine, and together, we'll inherit an empire."

Sasuke couldn't believe that any of this was real. He had dropped his drink sometime earlier, and his hands were on the verge of shaking. He barely had himself under control, and it was only the fact that he wasn't about to die that kept him calm in the face of a nightmare.

"He's a freak!" the girl cried, scrambeling backwards and falling from her chair.

"Infidel!" the fox yapped. "How dare you insult the young master! You ought to take that back, before I make you eat your words."

"The fox talks." The girl looked as if she were about to faint.

"Of course I do. I am the retainer of the Uzumaki line. I have been charged with helping Master Naruto get through his life without blundering, making sure that he grows to become worthy of taking over the great name that makes mortals everywhere quiver in fear." The fox bristled, his hackles up as he snarled.

Naruto smiled nervously. "Calm down, Chuugi-san..."

Sasuke spoke for the first time since entering the house. "So, you're saying that I'm destined by blood tie to be your property?" he asked, anger raising in his voice.

"Well, that too, but..." Naruto was interrupted before he could continue.

"P-please, spare me!" The blonde was behind Sasuke, shivering in her terror. "I-I don't even like him. He means nothing, just kill him and spare me! I won't tell anyone what you are, I swear, just let me live!" She sobbed dryly, her eyes wide in utter horror.

Naruto's face twisted into a snarl. "Shut your mouth, fool," he said to her. "You dare tell me to harm my beloved? How dare you, you pitiful mortal. Out of my sight, before you push me too far." He advanced, and she fled.

Naruto sighed. "Humans these days. Show some fang, and they run like rats." He shook his head sadly.

He turned his attention to Sasuke, and saw that he was glaring with all his being. "At least I see who the real monster is," he said in a deadly voice. "But you know something? You only want me for my blood. Nothing more. So what makes you any better? I'm just dinner to you!" Sasuke stood angrily. "I'm nobody's property." He stalked away angrily.

"Well," Chuugi said from atop Naruto's head. "that went well." He leapt down and faced the blonde vampire. Naruto was crying. "Oh, Master, don't listen to him! He's a bastard- doesn't know what he's doing, telling off a kind soul like you. He'd be lucky to worship the ground you walk on. Master, stop looking at me like that!"

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_So I recieve the cold shoulder? How origional. But, time is running out..._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

Sasuke had refused to talk to any of the girls in his class. In fact, the next time the blonde had tried to talk to him, he had pushed away the bimbo and started scouting out new routes to his house. He had even moved to start sitting at the window, in the back, where the least amount of people could sit by him.

Still, he heard whispers about Naruto. It seemed he couldn't escape the night creature, even when he went out of his way to avoid him.

"He's so quiet. Poor guy, he..."

"...looks a lot more pale. I..."

"...think he's getting worse. I even heard he..."

"...might die!"

Sasuke glanced covertly at his classmate. He had been looking more and more like hell lately, and he hadn't been as energetic as he normally was.

So that was the only reason (or so Sasuke kept telling himself) that he let the human-seeming-demon walk with him on their way to their respective homes.

"What kind of vampire are you? You have anemia. You must be some moron," Sasuke commented. Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Do you have a death wish? Why don't you just hunt down someone in their home and suck their blood?" He glared at his classmate. "Why does it have to be my blood? Isn't is harrassment?"

Naruto turned to Sasuke, just before going to his house, and smiled. "I'm sorry," he said before he left, leaving behind a very confused Uchiha.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_It's impossible. I can't hate him._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

Chuugi somehow balanced the phone in his paws. He nodded to the speaker, his vulpine face drawn into a frown. "Yes, sir. I know, sir. If things continue, he'll be in danger." A pause, and then there was a very animalistic screech. "What are you saying? He'll die!" There was movement from another room, and Chuugi panicked. "I've gotta go." He hung up the phone quickly.

Naruto walked into the room, toweling his hair. "Hey, Chuugi-san, who were you talking to?" he asked.

The fox jumped and struck a pose. "Oh, you know those religious cults. Always needing a mediator." He laughed nervously, only adding to Naruto's suspicion.

"Whatever you say," he said as he stared out the window, wondering what Sasuke was doing at that moment.

A few minutes later, and Chuugi had sufficiently distracted his lord with another subject entirely. "Master, please, why won't you partake in feeding off of Sasuke? Or anyone else? You're a vampire. Any human would do!" he pleaded.

Naruto shook his head. "Nope. I'm not going to be labeled a monster, or a harrasser. It's also because they _are _human that I won't treat them like a juicy peice of steak. They're not mindless animals. I can't just..." He stood suddenly, surprising his fox companion. Something wasn't right. It took a moment for Naruto to realise what was wrong. "What's an assassin doing here?" he said to nothing as he leapt out the window, against any and all protests from Chuugi.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_Time is running out..._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

Sasuke hadn't felt like staying home, so he decided to take a walk in the park to ponder his life. More specifically, his life around Naruto. For every move he made wrong, Naruto apologized for. He was a vampire, yet he seemed to have more issues than most humans did. It was wierd. He was always smiling, he seemed so young and innocent...

Sasuke sensed someone staring at him and looked up. He froze, seeing a tall man standing on a lamp post. There was no way the guy was human, even if he wore a white armani suit over a colorful hawaiian shirt. His long red hair twisted in the wind, his eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses.

He spoke. "So, you're Sasuke, hm?" His voice was deep, deeper than just about anyone elses Sasuke had ever heard. "I'm a little late for a meeting with Naruto-kun. Do you know where I can find him?" He seemed to sniff the air, then leapt from the light to land in front of Sasuke.

The Uchiha growled, feeling helpless and not liking it. "So, you are the chosen one? One has to wonder, why doesn't the young prince take your blood? It would protect him from any attempts on his life, and he has many enemies to watch out for." He tilted his head to the side slightly, his hands in his pockets.

Sasuke glared at the vampire, for that was the only thing he could be. "I don't know, ask him. Maybe I disgust him."

The red-headed man opened his mouth to reply, and was stopped when Naruto appeared, quite literally, in his face. "Just what do you think you're doing to Sasuke-chan, you bastard?" he yelled protectively. "I didn't say that you could go near him!"

The vampire stepped back and smiled. Sasuke could only stare at the oblivious idiot.

The assassin spoke, his fangs extending. "We should celebrate, you and I. You've come to my call." And then his hand was flashing forward, the claws reaching out to hit Naruto in the gut.

The blonde bent over the hand, an expression of surprise on his face. The hand came away, the stopper removed from the wounds, and blood began to seep onto Naruto's shirt. A tanned hand clutched his gaping injuries as he glared at the man.

"Tsk tsk." The vampire shook his head. "I should have even been able to scratch you. Just what has happened to the youth these days? Do you really want to die? Is that why you won't claim your prize?" he taunted.

Naruto closed his eyes in pain as he answered. "I don't care about what happens to me, or my family, or the future. I won't treat Sasuke-chan like a peace of meat." The blonde realised that his wounds hadn't stopped bleeding, meaning they certainly didn't heal. "I didn't choose Sasuke because I had to. I didn't choose him as dinner." He turned his fiery blue eyes to meet Sasuke's, who had frozen when Naruto had been struck. "I chose him because I wanted to. I chose him because...I love him."

The vampire just smirked.

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had been cruel and cold towards the young prince, and he still didn't hate him? "Fool." He slowly began to walk towards Naruto. "Why can't you be like that other girl, worried for your own skin. How can such an idiot like you stay so innocent?" He didn't realise that a handful of tears slipped from his eyes. "Why can't you be selfish, like the rest of the world?"

He got to Naruto and grabbed his shoulders. Blue eyes blinked in confusion as Sasuke let his head fall onto Naruto's shoulder, exposing his neck. "Go ahead. Drink my blood. I know that you don't think of me as food. And besides, if I'm going to be yours anyways..." He trailed off as Naruto leaned down.

The fanks sunk in deep, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt. Sasuke didn't feel anything happening, which was a wierd sensation. He waited patiently as Naruto had his fill, and shivered when he felt the young royal run his tongue over the bite, healing it with his saliva.

Naruto didn't lift his head though, and let out an ironic laugh. "So, are you done now, dad?"

Sasuke blinked. "Wha--?" Naruto looked up sheepishly at the slowly narrowing eyes of Sasuke. "Dad?" he ground out.

Naruto stepped back and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, if it helps, I didn't know until halfway through the fight," he admitted. Then he turned to the red-head, who had walked up to the scene, pulling the glasses off his eyes. They were blood red. Naruto turned to his father, making a fist and smiling angrily. "Did you have to nearly kill me, though?"

Naruto's father nodded. "Tough love. Get used to it. But I'm happy that my idiotic son stopped worrying Chuugi-san so much. You nearly killed the poor fox. Besides, if I hadn't done anything, you would be dead soon." He raised an eyebrow, then hit Naruto over the head with his fist. "But why did you have to make him cry in the process?" he berated.

Then a ball of fur was flying through the air, and it attached itself to Naruto's face. "Master! You ate! Are you alright? No gaping holes that need filling?" The fox moved to the youth's shoulder.

Naruto smiled and put his hands on his hips. "Nope. All healed. Although, the bloodstains will be a problem," he said as Sasuke stared at the reunion of father, son, and retainer.

Naruto's father kneeled down and examined the wounds. "Hey, that's just proof that Sasuke-chan is worthy of carrying our name," he commented. Then, digging into his coat, he began pulling out things. Naruto knelt down in curiousity. "Now, I've brought some pamphlets. The wedding will, of course, be held somewhere warm. Probably Hawaii, but I'm still unsure as to which chapel to use, and where the honeymoon will be."

Sasuke's closed his eyes in irritation. "I'm not even going to bother," he said as he waited for the two to wear themselves out in discussion. "Idiots."

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_Like father, like son._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

It was a few weeks after the whole father-son fiasco, and Sasuke was hiding with Naruto on the roof. Sasuke, at least, was eating. Naruto was too busy trying to get Sasuke to let him have some of his blood.

"Come on, I'm starved!" He gave Sasuke the kicked puppy look, going as far as to add a pathetic whimper. "Do you want me to shrivel up and die? How could you be so cold to your lover?" he said with wide eyes. He had been pulling the same tactics on Sasuke for the past hour or so.

Finally, out of sheer irritation, Sasuke set down his chopsticks and exposed his neck. "Stop complaining, you moron. Shut up and eat already. The nape of the neck, your favorite part," he added with narrowed eyes.

Naruto smiled gleefully, already in Vampire form. "Bon appetite!" he said. Then he leaned forward and placed a very short, chaste kiss on Sasuke's lips. He pulled back, still smiling at a shocked Sasuke, and pointed to himself. "Yay! You fell for it."

Sasuke Closed his eyes, praying for patience with utter imbeciles.

--:o:--:o:--:o:--

_A toast to the nape of your neck._

--:o:--:o:--:o:--


End file.
